The bud of a winter cherry blossom chapter 4
by Suzuki Itakimori
Summary: The story of the girl who held so many secrets and regrets but the emotional ride begins (I do not own hakuouki)


As I returned to the shinsengumi without them noticing I felt it was my duty to commit harikiri or seppuku on their orders, for once in my life I felt scared even though I've been challenged with death and life so many times, but now I don't know but I wouldn't know for sure till then. The morning came to the decision wither or not they would keep me or I just disappear. "Suzuki…" a voice on the other side of the door came, "It's me Harada" my eyes widened and I didn't answer, "I'm coming in" the door slid I kneeled and just faced to the left from my desk with my back faced towards harada "why didn't you tell me, us were comrades now" his presence turned all sad but I couldn't not never fall for it the fate of all snow maidens are to protect not to show any emotions towards anything or anyone, the only time love can be shown is when the king and queen choose who you marry to create the next heirs to continue on the legacy except my mother she left right after I was born only my brother knew what she looked like, since then my dragon ryuji hasn't comeback since I sent him out, I need to train harder to find my mother. "Suzuki….." faintly my name came "Suzuki….Suzuki" it became louder "hey!" It snapped me out into reality. "kondou and hijikata decided that you will be more help to us than you being killed" then a sudden rush of pain came to my head, "ahhh!" I took my hands and clutched it against my head I fell to the ground I pain, harada hurried over to see if I was ok, the others came rushing in. "hey! Suzuki wake up! Stay with me!" I passed out with no memory of me fainting.

I woke up rapidly from my futon with a massive headache "Damn" someone came in "Suzuki-san, im coming in" the door slid to reveal yukimura, "yukimura-san, why are you here?" I asked her "just call me chizuru, I came here to get you back on your feet the others are on a mission so I've been asked by harada to look after you until you got better" I smiled "Thank you" she handed me a cup of tea and somehow that made my headache go away. Few days later I was able to be back on my feet but it was also the time when okita has gotten worse with his condition I knew what it was even before mastumoto-sensei examined him I came to his room one night. "Okita, may I talk to you?" he allowed me to go in. "Don't get mad at what im about to do and please don't say anything to the others keep this under top secrecy" I took my hand and placed it on his shoulder, I concentrated my eyes turned red as if fire itself was in there and my hair turned red as well I took half of what was weakening him and I could only take half I was still inexperienced with my powers, 'Cough, cough,cough" he caught my shoulders before I fell "don't tell anyone about this until the time comes when I tell them personally" I got up weakly I went out back to my room limping half strength and made it to my room.

The morning came when I couldn't get up, chizuru came to see I was awake to eat breakfast. I forced myself awake it was just bed sores haha, "Good morning, minna (everyone)" I went to sit back down and eat and for some reason my body felt different not the fact that I took half of okita's illness it felt different, but thankfully matsumoto-sensei is coming to see us I'll ask him one to one, when the physical examinations came and they were cleaning I asked sensei to take a look with my body and to see my father and my brother in the room to explain everything when sensei couldn't, my father explained that when I'm at the age of 16 my powers truly surface and he also asked me that I was revealed as a girl during my stay, I nodded and apologized to my father but he didn't take it against me he knew this would happen sooner or later. Few weeks later, kondou san left for nijou castle for a meeting after he came back we went to shock to find out that he was shot but a gunman on his way back, yamazaki, saito, Harada, chizuru, and me went to heal his wounds. "I'm going to cauterize the blood" the hot piece of metal touched his skin as he screamed from the pain. "I'll take over just one condition do not freak out or kill me for what your about to see" as I concentrated my eyes turned red and my hair changed colors to a fire red, my hand emitted a white light like pulse and I focused on the injury and safely and healed the wound closed completely, "Just what are you?" Saito looked at me, "details can wait, I promise I'll tell you but the top priority is kondou-san after his face fell to a relaxed face I stopped healing, "He should be ok now, he just needs sleep". Everyone sighed with relief but okita had a mad rampage but luckily my dragon physically stopped him without being seen, I felt the presence to after all my dragons and I are contracted by blood. After a few moment I left the room then my body shivered and I feel unconscious with no memory of what happened next.

"Hey…wake up" I slowly fluttered my eyes open to see harada over me my faced turned red and I immediately moved out of his lap, he was shocked from my reaction. "OUCH" my head rushed with pain harada moved towards me with his arms wrapped around me. "Don't ever make me worry about you so much" my eyes widened "W-what happened to me then?" he held me a bit tighter "You collapsed after taking care of kondou san, you sure you're ok?" I took my hand and touched his forearms "I'll be fine I promise this time", "Hey harada you there?" a voice came from outside with many shadows with the shoji door. "Yeah I'm in here" the door opened to reveal the other captains, their eyes were full of surprise, "Wow didn't know you would make a move like that" Okita said with his signature smirk, then harada realized he hasn't let go of me, "Sorry" he removed his eyes "Don't worry about" as I tried to say while I hid myself from blushing. "Now back to business" as a stern voice broke the awkwardness. "Tell me who exactly are you?" The time came for me to explain. "You already know my real Suzuki Itakimori" they all nodded "Well the Itakimori plate is the name for the nobility clan of familiars and special powers each generation gain from birth and that's where I come" they didn't make a move but just kept listening to me "I possess the power of the winter cherry blossom also known as the snow maiden, my power comes from the snow and my dragons that are with me no matter where I am" they all looked confused then a voice broke the confusion "AHAHAHA you actually think we believe you?" okita said "I'm not lying if you don't believe me then I'll just have to prove it to you" I slowly moved to the door "Ryuji you can come in now everyone know about it" a snake like dragon came through the shoji door and laid beside me. "See…I wasn't lying when I said I had powers" I told them that ryuji isn't the only dragon I am contracted by I have 7 other including ryuji. "So what your telling me is that your our guardian assigned from your father?" I nodded yes.

The evening came and I decided to go to the waterfall to relax my tensions and nerves along with my wounds that I had gained throughout time, "Suzuki where are you going?" I turned around to see Harada san 'sigh', "There no point in hiding it from you, I'll show you where I'm going but I'm only telling you ok, make sure we aren't followed" he nodded I took his hand and led him through bushes to a place of fragrant flowers and a warm waterfall, "I come here to heal my wounds and relax" he blushed "You're going to take a bath here?!" I blushed yeah you don't have to watch me you can guard though it's not going to do much because no one can see or hear us" he turned around while I changed and took of my clothes behind a tree. "It's fine now I'm in the water you can look though you won't see me I'll just be behind a rock" he turned around to face the pond and the sound of rushing water and my voice. "Why do you come here?" Harada asked me "I come here because it makes me feel no negative feelings and just relax, and it remind me of my mother" his eyes widened "where's your mother?", "I don't know where my mother is that's why I use my powers to improve my skills so I can track her and find her to ask her why she left my family" he moved closer "May I ask how the water is?" I shook how odd, why is he asking me how the water is? "It's good" he set down his spear near him. "Maybe I should join you to" I almost fell of my seat "WHAT!" he blushed and moved besides me. "You know I've never seen you blush like that". What's this feeling in my heart it's aching for something but I don't know what.

We went back to the headquarters without being seen. It was the day when us as the shinsengumi move on to the new lands because of the new government war and experienced new challenges, new weaponry, and new changes also one of those changes were "hey you're up early" a voice came from the room I was in but I was behind a folding wall changing, "You ready there?" I walked out to see Harada in new western clothes a black and white long coat with a button up with black pants and boots. I walked out with a blue ruffled button up with black legging and short with black boots with a blue sash that tied it in place with a black sleeveless coat that reached to my knees, "Do I look weird in this?" he walked over and hugged me "You look fine, though I have no right to bring a girl like you to the battle field no reason at all" I smiled "I'm not weak but it's my duty as your guardian to fight alongside with you".

"We are now leaving to join the main forces with katsu" I stood my harada san and stood firm with them. It was night time when we arrived. "Hey you don't look so good take a rest on my shoulder" harada said with a gentle smile. "O-ok" I hesitated but my heart felt clam around him after a few moments alters "we need to head out now! Enemies are sighted" I woke up rapidly to see everyone getting their weapons and run to keep them off. "Suzuki, Chizuru stay here to protect Kondo" we both bowed and followed orders but Kondo immediately went off the both of us ran towards him to stop him.

After the loss of many soldiers and the loss of Chizuru's brother I felt sorry for her cause I know what it's like but Harada and shinpachi hasn't returned I clutched my heart with my hands the feeling of him never returning made me feel so much heart ache. "Sorry for being so late", those voices! "Sano, shapat san your back!" I sighed in relief, "Sorry for making everyone worry" he was in the room to reassure people in the barracks but saw me leave the room. "Excuse me" he followed me to my room" he slipped in "Suzuki?" I dropped my pendant "Harada san!" he turned me around and kissed me "mmm…" he released the kiss "I'm sorry to leave you in worry" my eyes clouded with tears, "I love you"


End file.
